


The New Gem War

by Saffhen232



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Future AU, Gen, survivalist - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 08:26:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11986008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saffhen232/pseuds/Saffhen232
Summary: Homeworld has renewed its assault on Earth.  Henry, a survivor of an early attack, has been doing what he can to stay alive since.  Haunted by past ghosts, he sees a light of something that could change his life.  Whether that change is good or bad is yet to be seen.





	1. The Beginning of Something Interesting

It has been five years since this so called war began with the alien beings known as Gems. They seemed to come from nowhere. Henry’s hometown was destroyed about two months after it was deemed that they were hostile towards the human race. The military forces of the world have been doing their best to fight against them. They were not immortal, just very difficult to stop. A human gets attacked, they either die or become handicapped in the worst way. But when a Gem is attacked, they simply stop being and reappear as if nothing happened. Though this process is far from immediate, it has proven troublesome for the human race.  
  
Henry had been travelling ever since he had lost his home, his family, his friends. Doing the one thing that he could do, survive. It wasn’t easy. Food has become hard to find since the invasion started, but he would always make do with what he could. There were moments where he was fearful that the wildlife had all been eradicated because of the invasion. But they seemed to be surviving much like the humans were, though probably far better. But the real story begins in the middle of the second year of the war.  
  
It was late in the night, Henry was preparing some meat that he had managed to scrounge up during the day when he heard something rustling from the darkness. Perking up and staring intently into the shadows, waiting to see if it is simply a wild animal smelling his food cooking over the fire or something else.  
  
“Who’s there?” he called out.  
  
No response.  
  
Slowly, he reached for his firearm as a precaution.  
  
“Show yourself, this is your final warning,” he demanded into the night.  
  
This finally gets a response as something starts exiting from behind the brush, hands held up to show that they mean no harm.  
  
He does not lower the barrel of his gun.  
  
“Who are you, dare I ask?”  
  
The person hesitated for a moment. Henry could not see their face properly yet since it was covered. When they finally did speak, he was both shocked and a bit embarrassed that he was holding a woman at gun point.  
  
“My name is Jess, sir. Please, I do not mean any harm towards you,” she began.  
  
For someone facing the wrong end of a gun, she seemed unusually calm. Henry’s first assumption was that this was not her first time in such a situation. But if that were true, why did she not come forward sooner rather than wait in the darkness silently when he demanded a reveal in the beginning. He sets down the gun to show that he would not attack but still did not lower his guard. Firearms were not the only means of which he had to defend himself should he need to. He gestures for her to sit down and she does, in a rather uncommon manner that can only be described as graceful.  
  
“Name?” he questioned.  
  
“I have already told you, sir, my name is Jess,” she responded, slightly confused.  
  
“No, what is your full name, miss,” Henry elaborate.  
  
“If it is alright with you, I would prefer to simply be known as Jess, sir.”  
  
“Okay, first, drop this ‘sir’ nonsense, it’s making me feel awkward.”  
  
“I apologize for that.”  
  
She appears very proper. Not something one would expect to see in the middle of all this.  
  
“If I may, it is only proper for one to also introduce themselves after another has given an introduction.”  
  
Henry was getting the feeling that the ‘proper etiquette’ deal was going to get really old really fast.  
  
“Ryans. Henry Ryans,” he properly introduced himself, “Now tell me, where are you from, Jess?”  
  
She hesitates again, as if not sure how to answer this. It wasn’t a difficult question. With the way she talked, he was sure she would say something like estates or what have you.  
  
“I cannot say, Mr. Ryans,” she finally answers.  
  
After so long of being alone, he couldn’t help but get twinges of paranoia the longer this conversation went. Was this woman, if they really were a woman, even human? Or was this perhaps one of those alien rock people that have been the bane of the human existence for so long. He wanted to push further, but part of him wanted to simply let it be. Perhaps it was because he was unsure how to even talk to another being after all this time. Perhaps he was afraid what would happen if this person really was a rock person. As he continued to ponder his next course of action, she finally removed her head coverings. Underneath the fabric was the face of someone who was tired, who was probably running from something. Her first feature that caught Henry’s attention was her nose. It was rather large and pointed, to say the least, almost like a beak. She did not appear any older than he was, maybe late twenties early thirties. Though her face appeared young, her eyes spoke of ages. His humanity got the better of him as he offered her some food. Though she was thin, she politely declined the offer. As curious as this was, he felt it better to not force it upon her and proceeded to ask a few more questions.  
  
“Tell me, Jess, are you in trouble or something?”  
  
“We are in the middle of a second Gem War, sir. If I may speak freely, we are all in trouble,” she replies smartly.  
  
“Second?” he asked quizzically, “How do you know this isn’t the first?”  
  
She covers her mouth as if to take back the words she had already spoken. But it was too little too late. Henry reached again for his gun.  
  
“Explanations,” he demands, “Now.”  
  
From the shadows, he heard a low growl. Far too deep and loud to be any sort of wolf or wild dog for that matter. Jess stood up suddenly and faced towards the noise.  
  
“Please, calm down,” she said in a hushed tone.  
  
The noise stopped but Henry could still feel that whatever it was was still out there, watching his every move.  
  
“Seems you don’t need to worry about being in trouble. If you have a guard dog or whatever, have it come where I can see it. I don’t care for surprises, even less so with the tension of this so called ‘Second Gem War.’”  
  
She nods, understanding how this looks and called her ‘friend’ forward.  
  
Henry was not sure what he was expecting, but definitely not what came next. Out of the brush from where Jess first appeared, emerged a bulking mass the likes of which one only heard of before in stories told by old men back home. The closest thing that could be thought of to give it some comparison was that it was like a lion, though that does little to do it justice. The thing stood at least seven feet tall and nine feet long with a mane of white fur around its neck and down its back. Its mouth looked like it could gobble a person whole and use them as a chew toy. It had no eyes, yet Henry felt it was staring him down. On its front left shoulder was what appeared to be a gemstone of sorts.  
  
He dared not move in fear of provoking it, but spoke as calmly as he could.  
  
“Story time, now.”  
  
Jess was not particularly happy with the situation, nor did she appear angry. Rather, her face spoke of shame and sadness as she removed her jacket before she began explaining.  
  
“I apologize for misleading you, human Henry. I really meant what I said when I stated that I did not mean you any harm. I am one of those so called aliens that have been causing your species so much grief these past two years,” she presented the smooth, circular stone that was embedded in her right shoulder.  
  
“I was a Pearl commissioned for the personal use of one of Homeworld’s Agate generals. I have existed for thousands of years. I speak of this as the Second Gem War because it is and I have seen its predecessor before,”  
  
“This being here,” she gestured to her giant guard dog, “Is a dear friend of mine. A Quartz soldier created for this current war. Back on Homeworld, this feeling of comradery between differing Gems is unheard of and looked down upon. But still, there was no one I had more trust in than her,” she continued with a smile as she gazed affectionately towards the beast.  
  
“But something happened during the last battle she took part in,” her smile faded as she recounted the tale, “We know not what happened or why, but she was the only one to return. She was becoming what can only be described as corrupted. As she began to lose herself before her commanding officer, it was decided that she would be shattered as she had failed her duty and was no longer seen as useful. I reacted without thinking of the consequences and managed to get her out without any harm to her. My actions are considered treason to the Diamond Authority. So now, I am simply an ownerless Pearl doing what she can to protect something dear to me,” she concluded, stroking the beings leg as if it were a common pet.  
  
Henry was at a loss for words. This was a lot to take in. For years he had viewed these attackers as nothing more than some demonic enemy and nothing more. Since very little was known about these ‘Gems,’ as Jess called herself, there was nothing more to go on regarding them. For the first time, he was hearing about something that makes them more understandable, in a sense. Once again, he laid down his weapon and sat back down.  
  
“So you’re like me, in a way. A lost individual without a home or place to belong.”  
  
She nods, agreeing with that sentiment it seemed.  
  
They both sat in silence for a bit. Henry was slowly taking in all that he had just learned and sighed.  
  
“Do you have a plan as to what you intend to do next?” he asked.  
  
She shakes her head, “No, the two of us have been wandering ever since. You are actually the first being we have encountered since we began.”  
  
“This is an open offer that you can turn down at any time, but would you like to travel with me? I doubt I’ll be the last human you meet and I can do what I can to make sure both of you are not attacked or troubled by them to the best of my ability.”  
  
She was taken aback by this offer, “Why would you want to even be associated with anything to do with Gems to begin with?”  
  
“Well, you see…” he was beginning to grow unsure as how to explain it. In reality, he was losing his mind being on his own like this, doing his best to survive. There were nights where he could not sleep because he blamed himself for what happened to his home. When he first heard of the invasion, he began preparing for the worst. Others simply laughed it off as a hoax, some random hype for god knows what. When the day did come, he was long gone. He did his best to get others out beforehand, but no one gave him the time of day. His family and friends would humor him and say that they were going to be okay at first, but the more he pushed the matter, the more they simply thought he needed professional help. He felt like he could have done more for them, that it was his fault that what happened had happened at all. It may be selfish but he felt that if he could at least help someone, maybe he could finally find peace of mind.  
  
“Reasons,” Henry finally responds.  
  
She did not seem to buy that but accepted it all the same.  
  
“Very well, sir…I mean, Mr. Ryans.”  
  
“Call me Henry, Jess,” he said with a smile.  
  
“Thank you, Henry,” and for the first time since he had met her, she began to smile with the light of hope for her future.  
  
“In that case, you should know that I am heading to a place called Beach City, or rather what might be left of it. In the past, I’ve heard of rumors of similar events like what is happening now taking place there. Maybe there is some sort of refuge there for beings like us. If we’re lucky, they will take us both in or at the very least I can get some supplies of sorts.”  
  
Her smile dropped at the idea and she began to look uneasy once again.  
  
“Are you sure that is wise? I may have been able to hide and blend in with humans thus far, but I have only been able to travel by night so that she can go unnoticed. People will most likely go into a panic when they see my Amethyst friend come anywhere near a population.”  
  
Henry was puzzled by this. He had neglected to consider that possibility. Perhaps it would be better to retract his proposal and make his way on his own like before. Still, he had lasted this long by trying to remember the positives and being optimistic because he was fearful of how he might become should he lose that much.  
  
“Don’t worry,” he reassured her, “I said I would do my best to keep you both safe and I do not plan on going back on what I said.”  
  
She was still unsure about the outcome.  
  
“Remember, we can go our separate ways whenever you feel like it.”  
  
She continued to think on it. As this went on, the Amethyst corruption began to grow accustomed to Henry and started sniffing at his meal that began to burn as it was all but forgotten over the fire. He began to quickly remove it and salvaged what he could of the meat. The thing started to act oddly as he ate. He kind of found it amusing as it reminded him of a dog begging for food and tossed what was left of his dinner to the beast. The Amethyst caught it in its mouth, swallowed it whole, and simply sat like a content puppy, wagging its tail and panting in satisfaction.  
  
It seemed that this made up the Pearl’s mind for her, seeing how accepting Amethyst was towards him. In all honesty, he was beginning to enjoy himself. Despite how intimidating she was at first, Henry couldn’t help but view the Amethyst’s current behavior as adorable. Jess accepted the proposal to travel with him to Beach City. Who knows, maybe there was no one there any longer and it will be just another ghost town. If the latter is true, one could only hope that the town had yet to be picked clean by looters.


	2. The Start of an Understanding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry learns more about Gems and avoids odd questions because he is still too child like to discuss them.

Henry managed to convince them that they should set out the next morning. Although night would have provided better cover for their oversized mutant doggy friend, there was very little chance of being able to see properly in the dark without a torch of sorts, and that would attract unwanted attention regardless of who or what was in the traveling party. Not to mention the risk of running into nightly predators such as feral dogs, cats, and, of course, the attacks of the two legged variety.  
  
The morning was crisp and clear. A time that Henry very much enjoyed. It was like he was waking up during another simple camp out, sleeping under the stars because the night was clear and residing in a tent would have been a waste of a perfect night. It gave the feeling that nothing was wrong, that everything was as it should be. That there was no war, no invasion, and no threat to the human race in general.  
  
But reality sets in all too soon as the memory of home creeps in, reminding him, once again, of the situation that he was in. But this time was different. For the first time in what felt like forever, he wasn’t waking up to the company of himself but with the knowledge that he at least had others perhaps waiting for him. He turns over to face the remains of last night’s fire, but was greeted with nothing. The two were gone.  
  
Though this dampened his mood a bit, he held no ill feelings towards them. Rather than give it anymore thought and ponder as to why they may have left, he simply starts packing it in to go on his own as usual. He collected his sleeping bag and began cleaning his gun in case it was needed for the day. Munching on some crackers as he went, he was stirred from my morning routine by the sounds of something coming behind him.  
  
Reacted on instinct, he pulled out his knife and prepared for whatever lay behind him. To his surprise, it was simply Jess coming from who knows where.  
  
“Oh, good. You are finally up. I was not entirely sure how long you would be but thought it best for me to keep watch while you slept. You humans are curious, to be sure,” she speculated casually.  
  
“You didn’t sleep?” Henry questioned, wondering why someone would deprave themselves of such a thing when it is best to be as alert as one can be.  
  
“Gems do not require sleep. Nor do we need to eat or any other activity that you humans do to function,” she explained as she began rekindling the fire. He noticed she was carrying some animal carcass, a small mammal, and wondered if she was planning on cooking it or something. An odd action since she just said that she does not need to eat.  
  
“You mind telling me what exactly you are trying to do?” he finally ask, not really caring about speculating on her actions this early in the day.  
  
“I thought I should prepare you sustenance for the day,” she replied.  
  
“As much as I appreciate that, please stop for a moment. You need to skin it and clean it a bit first,” he explained as he takes the squirrel from her hands and laid it against the rock that had just been used the previous night to take care of his kill.  
  
She watches curiously as he makes a cut from the neck of the animal down to the posterior. Henry then started to carefully remove the skin and fur, laying the pelt to the side should he feel the need to use it later. Once he had finished, he removed its innards and returned to his gun to let the meat drain for a bit. After leaving it long enough for him to be satisfied, he began roasting the meat over the fire that Jess had previously began.  
  
“I’m sorry if this sounds pig headed of me, but we humans are not as savage as some other Gems may think us to be.”  
  
Jess neither reacts offended by this nor amused.  
  
“Not all Gems are as bad as you humans may think, either,” she retorts solemnly.  
  
“Then tell me. What are Gems really like? That is, if you don’t mind telling.”  
  
Unsure how to respond to this, Jess fell quiet. After a moment of silence, she figured it might as well be best to give Henry a better idea of what Gems are like as opposed to the heartless enemy that she assumed was imagined in his head. Even if, on a technical level, it was correct since Gems had no internal organs to speak of.  
  
“Well then, where to start?”  
  
“How about with you? Can you please tell me about Pearls? I mean, here, they are made from a grain of sand getting caught in an oyster or something like that. Obviously you did not come about in the same way.”  
  
A look of intrigue crossed Jess’s face at this information.  
  
“No, actually Gems are made from the materials and energy from planets once we place injectors in an area that is deemed suitable.”  
  
“Injectors?”  
  
“I suppose you can call it a sort of parasite, for lack of a better explanation.”  
  
“And Gems just pop out after that? They don’t reproduce like we do here?”  
  
“No,” Jess looked lost for a moment before asking, “How do humans reproduce?”  
  
Henry went red in the face and avoided eye contact at that question, taking great interest in checking if the meat was done cooking yet. Once he had collected himself, he cleared his throat to mask any change in volume and tone of his voice.  
  
“That is a question for another time, sorry. Please forget I said anything,” he replied in embarrassment, failing to sound as normal as he had hoped.  
  
Jess was even more curious, but decided to wait, thinking that the answer will be shared later, and continued.  
  
“Pearls are a servant class of Gem. We are like accessories in a way. We do as we are told without question and with complete loyalty.”  
  
“But you said last night that you abandoned that to save your friend,” Henry speculated. He then started looking around, as it has just dawned on him that the Amethyst was nowhere in sight, “Where is she, anyway?”  
  
“She is around, do not fret. She will turn up before we depart, regardless,” Jess answered, waving off the question like one would swat off a gnat.  
  
“So you were a servant. Did you choose to be that?” Henry asked, returning to the topic.  
  
“Choose? We Gems do not choose what we do or do not do. We are made with a purpose and know how to carry out that purpose the moment we come into being.”  
  
“So you don’t get to decide what you want to do with your life? Gems just do what they are told in the end?”  
  
“Correct.”  
  
“That’s…That’s just sad. To live your life and not be able to change anything about it. Doing what you are assigned for years until you finally die.”  
  
“Well, Gems don’t exactly die, per say.”  
  
“Oh? How old are you, again?”  
  
“Far older than any human, that is certain,” she states with a slight chuckle.  
  
Henry simply stared wide eyed as this information slowly set in. From what he could guess, Gems could live for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. The previous night, Jess had mentioned that this was not the first time Gems have attacked the planet. He was certain that there was nothing of this in the history books from his school years, meaning that it was either covered up or that it predated human recorded history. Couple that with the knowledge that she had said that she had seen the first Gem War herself that could very well mean that she could be tens of thousands if not millions of years old. And yet, her appearance made her look no older than he was. The more he tried to logic this out, the more his head started to hurt.  
  
“So are Gems immortal?” he finally managed to ask, both fascinated as well as afraid of what the answer might be.  
  
“No, of course not. Immortality merely exists in myths and is nothing more than that,” she said matter of factly.  
  
“Outstanding,” Henry muttered to himself.  
  
The smell of burning meat shook him out of his thoughts, realizing that he was about to burn his meal for the second time since he had met this person.  
  
“Maybe I should keep from asking questions whenever I am cooking something,” he says as he hurriedly removes the slightly over cooked squirrel from the flames.  
  
Jess gave a slight giggle at that, finding the scene amusing when coupled with that last statement, “I apologize for distracting you like that once again.”  
  
“Naw, don’t worry about it. I’m sure that Amethyst of yours will help eat what I don’t finish.”  
  
“I must say, I am a bit surprised how you seem to accept her like this. I would have surmised that it would take longer for a human to become accustomed to her, if at all.”  
  
“What can I say, she grows on ya. I’ll admit she scared the crud out of me at first last night. Still, and I’m sorry if this sounds like an insult in some way, she reminds me of my old dog from when I was younger. Especially the way she acted near the end of the night,” Henry recalled with a slight grin, “Kind of adorable, to be honest. Speaking of which, how did you manage to catch this anyway?”  
  
“I didn’t, Amethyst did. I believe she has taken quiet the liking to you.”  
  
“Well I’ll be damned. I’ll say it again, then, she is almost too adorable.”  
  
And as if on cue, Amethyst started coming in from the side lines, waiting patiently for their next course of action.  
  
“I hear you’re the one who caught this. Probably should have asked ya first before I cooked it up and ate some of it. Here,” he tosses what is left over and, just as before, Amethyst manages to catch it in midair, chewing it a bit before swallowing it.  
  
It was hard to say if she was satisfied or not with the only actual feature for a face being her enormous mouth. Since she gave little indication to the opposite, Henry assumed that she was fine.  
  
“Next one we come across it is all yours, sound good?”  
  
She snorts and Henry figured that it sounded good to her.  
  
“Alright then,” Henry announces as he gets to his feet, “Just gonna take care of a few things and make our little camp site disappear then we’ll be on our way.”  
  
“That is all well and good, but do you know where it is that we should be going in the first place?”  
  
“Like I said, Beach City may be our best bet at the moment. So we will simply be heading east until we find something.”  
  
“Not exactly a sound plan,” Jess criticizes.  
  
“Yeah, but it kind of is the only one we have other than surviving.”  
  
“Well then, here we go then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a terrible writer. I wanted to make Jess and Henry platonic but that seemed to blow up in my face without me realizing it. Bugger.


	3. Mortality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are going smoothly for the group. Funny how things take a turn in these moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Carnage, blood, and death. Not sure if this is how I am supposed to do warnings like this but best to do it anyway just in case.

They have been traveling for the better part of a month. Even though he said that he would do his best to keep Jess and Amethyst safe, so far it has been the other way around. Before, Henry would be lucky to find some meat every two or three days at minimum. Now, Amethyst has helped him get enough protein in his diet to allow him to have more energy to go farther and longer each day. She has an excellent sense of smell, despite her not having any visible nose of any kind. He makes sure that she gets more than her share, though it is starting to look as if she is doing it for his benefit rather than her own. Regardless, not a day goes by when he doesn’t make his gratitude towards her apparent. As for Jess, she is a quick learner. Maybe it is the fact that Gems do not need as much as humans do, but he couldn’t help but wonder how she managed before when she knew little to nothing about earth even if she had seen and read report after report about it.  
  
It seemed there was nothing to worry about and that this was going to be a simple journey. Relaxing like that was a mistake.  
  
It was nearing the middle of the summer season, a time when one needed to be cautious of unexpected rains and relentless heat that can cause dehydration and serious sunburns. Henry had to admit, it was a little unnerving that Jess did not sweat. He had to ask several times if she was okay only to be told time and time again that Gems do not need to regulate their body temperature like humans.  
  
It was then that they finally encountered humans for the first time in weeks since they began. If one can refer to that experience as something as casual as an encounter.  
  
Henry noticed a column of smoke in the distance. Gesturing towards it for the others to take notice. Jess grew worried.  
  
“We should stay away from that,” she stated.  
  
“We need to find out what is happening. I’m all for staying out of trouble, but if there is a chance that someone needs help, then we can’t just ignore it.”  
  
“It could result in something hazardous for all of us, not just Amethyst and I,” she countered.  
  
“In fairness, anything could become hazardous for us, regardless if we go where the action is or not. Look, if you don’t want to come with, that’s fine. You can stay hidden or whatever you prefer, I don’t care. But I refuse to stand by when there is a chance I could help somebody in need,” Henry announced, putting an end to the discussion as he began going in the direction of the smoke.  
  
Although he was already tiring out, he powered through the fatigue. Maybe he was walking straight into a scrimmage between some Gem soldiers and the human military. Maybe it was a refugee camp of other human survivors. Regardless, Henry refused to add another guilt to his conscious of more people that he had failed to at least help.  
  
He finally reaches the clearing that was the source of that dark smoke. He was expecting the worse, and he had found it.  
  
What greeted him was the aftermath of a battle. The ground was littered with the dead carcasses of soldiers that looked like they were taken by surprise. It must have happened recently, because the blood on the ground was still fresh. It made him sick to his stomach. His head began to swim as he took in the scene. In the distance, he heard something.  
  
“Help…please…”  
  
It was weak and barely registers, but it was indeed a sign of life. Rushing towards it, Henry called out. When he finally locates the source of the distress, he felt like he was going to collapse.  
  
The soldier was a young man. He looked like he might be too young to be in any sort of military outfit. Sweat matted his blonde hair to his forehead as the sun beat mercilessly down on him.  
  
“Stay calm, I got you,” Henry began, doing his best to keep the boy calm as well as himself as he observe his condition, “What’s your name, kid?”  
  
“Frankie…Frankie Dawes,” he replies, weakly.  
  
Henry wondered if it would be best for him to save his breath, but he needed to know what all happened. He begins removing the boy’s gear to better inspect his condition.  
  
“What happened here, soldier?” Henry asked, semi knowing the answer.  
  
“Rock people…Came from nowhere…thought we were safe…”  
  
“What’s wrong with this person?” a familiar voice said behind Henry.  
  
“Surprise attack. Help me get this guy comfortable.”  
  
Jess began to pick him up.  
  
“Careful, he’s badly hurt.”  
  
She did not say anything. Perhaps she was being cautious so that her true self wouldn’t be revealed. Jess set him down in a shady spot, Henry placed his pack behind the wounded soldier’s head in an attempt to make him comfortable. Taking a final look at the boy’s state, Henry noticed that his legs were broken, his chest looked like it might be punctured in several places, which in turn can be assumed that his lungs were damaged as well. He was in incredible pain and total shock.  
  
There was nothing Henry could do to save him.  
  
“It’s going to be okay, kid,” he lied to him, not knowing what else to do.  
  
He gave a snort between gasps of air.  
  
“Don’t bother sugar coating it, mister…I’m a dead man.”  
  
Henry opened his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. He resigned himself to nod and confirm what he already knows.  
  
“Can’t he just reform?” Jess asked.  
  
“Humans can’t do that, Jess. We don’t come back when we take this much damage.”  
  
Frankie’s breathing hitched.  
  
“So you’re with these rock people, huh? What a shame. Guess you’re a traitor to your own species,” he groaned out.  
  
Henry did not say anything to this, in would not have been right to argue with him in his current state. Frankie reached for his holstered gun that was still on him. Henry stopped his hand, unsure what he intended to do with it.  
  
“Whatever you are, please, just end it for me. I can’t take any more of this.”  
  
He was asking Henry to kill him. To put him out of his misery. He did not like the idea, but at this point, it would have been a kindness to him.  
  
“Jess, look away.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Just do it, please. I don’t think you should see this.”  
  
Still confused, she does what she is told.  
  
Henry picks the gun up. It felt heavier than it should be. His stomach was in knots as he placed the barrel against the soldier’s head. His hand would not stop shaking. He was about to kill someone and even though it was the right thing to do for him, it did nothing to alleviate his nerves in the slightest.  
  
The boy closed his eyes and gave a smile.  
  
“Thank you, sir,” he said.  
  
Henry pulled the trigger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to have something where Jess sees just how fragile humans really are. Rather proud of the ending for this chapter.


	4. Deep Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry is taking the day's events as well as one would expect. Time for some forced character development.

The sun was beginning to set as they made camp for the night. Henry had been silent the rest of the day after the events that had taken place. He sat staring into the fire, though it seemed that he was not really watching the flames at all. Rather, his mind was elsewhere.  
  
“Are you alright, Henry? Do you feel ill?” Jess asked, her voice hinting at her concern.  
  
“I’m fine,” he responded, “I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine.”  
  
He kept repeating that silently to himself, as if to convince himself rather than drive home a point. Amethyst rested her head next to him, as if she too knew that he was far from fine.  
  
“Please, tell us what is wrong,” Jess urged.  
  
Henry looked up at the two for a moment before giving a deep sigh.  
  
“He was just a kid. A child. He shouldn’t have been out there in the first place. And I had to put him out of his misery like that. I know it was the only thing we could do to help him, but still…” he trailed off as his eyes began to mist over.  
  
“Was that your first time having to do that?” Jess asked.  
  
“In…in a way, no. I mean, where I actually did something like that, then yes. But I don’t consider his death to be the only one on my hands.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“My…my…” he tried to say but for some reason he could not bring himself to say what it was out loud. To do so might make it even truer and he feared that Jess and Amethyst would leave once they found out what kind of a person he was. He was not sure if he could handle being alone again, not after today.  
  
“Forget about it,” Henry finally said, trying to brush the matter aside, “Hey, Ames, you hungry? This catch is yours tonight,” he said in what he hoped sounded like a playful and carefree tone.  
  
Amethyst snorted and pushed the cooked meat back with her head.  
  
“You’re not fooling either of us, Henry. You haven’t been yourself since we left that clearing. How was that hu-, I mean, person’s death any different from those that were caused from us hunting?”  
  
“I told you, he was a kid,” Henry fired back, beginning to get annoyed at this.  
  
“I have no idea what that is to mean. What made this person ‘a kid’?”  
  
Henry took a breath to calm himself. He forgets that there are still aspects of humans that were still unknown to Jess. To all Gems in general.  
  
“A kid,” Henry began as he tried to think of the best way to explain it, “A kid is someone who hasn’t been around long compared to someone else. They are children who can still grow and should have a bright future ahead of them. Not someone who gets killed because of some idiot commander on the battlefield.”  
  
“So then, would that make you a child?” Jess asked.  
  
Henry was surprised by this. “No, no. I mean, compared to you, I may be considered one. But I am an adult.”  
  
“But you have been acting like someone of a lower maturity standard than you usually have been in the past.”  
  
“I am not a child,” Henry repeated, his voice growing thick with frustration.  
  
“Then tell us what is wrong,” Jess fired back, seeing how this was affecting him.  
  
“What does it matter? It was in the past. There was nothing I could do to save them fro-,” Henry froze, realizing what he had just admitted.  
  
“‘Them?’ Who them? Save from what?”  
  
“Nothing. Just-just forget it,” Henry got up from his seat, “I’m going to bed.”  
  
Jess jumped up and grabbed his arm to stop him.  
  
“You are not running from this. Tell us what it is,” she commanded.  
  
“Why should you care? You’re not human and I sure as Hell am no Gem. What should it matter wh-…”  
  
Jess reached up and slapped him square across the face. Surprised, Henry jumped back, his hand flying to the side of his face.  
  
“What the Devil was that for, woman?!” he shouted angrily.  
  
“STOP THINKING AS IF WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU!” Jess yelled at Henry, startling Amethyst and making her seek cover, “YES WE’RE DIFFERENT BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN ACT LIKE THIS WHENEVER YOU LIKE!”  
  
Henry was at a loss for words. Maybe she was right, he had been acting like a child. Neither of them deserved that. They may not have faced a lot recently, but they did deserve to know what has been haunting Henry for the longest time. He felt he could no longer hide from his past, that maybe by sharing it he might find some peace of mind. Or at the very least be told what he should have heard, whether that be being called a monster or a coward.  
  
“Okay,” he started, “Okay, you win. You’re right. I shouldn’t be acting like this. I’ll tell you what is wrong but I would like to take my time a bit first. Is that fine with you?”  
  
“Fine,” Jess says huffily as she sits herself back down.  
  
Henry took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he was about to share for the first time ever.  
  
“Okay then, to start, my home town was taken out in the early start of this war, right?” Jess nodded, “Well, even before that, I have been paying close attention to what has been going on. About invaders from another world coming to earth. Everyone else just saw it as a radio show that was having some fun. I thought differently.  
  
“I prepared supplies and the sort in case things got hairy at home. The town thought I was over reacting. Even my friends and family saw it as me making a mountain out of a mole hill, so to speak. When word got around that they were nearing home, I had previously planned to get everyone out. But I didn’t. For the longest time, everyone said I was insane, that I was making a big deal out of nothing. On a whim, I left without saying a word, thinking ‘Why should I do anything more for them when I’ve been trying to get them moving for the longest time?’ and just watched as it was all…as it all vanished. I don’t know what was going through my head at the time as it was happening. If I wasn’t so full of it, maybe I could have at least managed to save someone, anyone, from that. But I didn’t,” Henry’s eyes began to water as he spoke more frantically, recalling everything that happened when his home was burned to the ground. Everything was on fire and the air smelt of smoke and death as screams accompanied the crackling and the crumbling of the burning buildings. He could still hear them. The screaming of those who he had left to die, calling him a heartless monster who should have died with them. He broke down, sobbing into his hands, “It’s all my fault…my fault…my fault.”  
  
As he continued falling apart, Jess stood up. She knew that humans were fragile beings and had learned just how easily their lives can end, but had no idea that it also meant that they were fragile emotionally as well. She moved over next to Henry, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture. As unsure as the action was to her, he did seem to calm down a bit from it.  
  
“It’s alright. It’s alright,” she soothed, “I honestly cannot say if it was your fault or not. But you shouldn’t be torturing yourself like this because of it. If you feel that strongly about it, then don’t dwell on it. Do something to make up for it. You said that you did not act because of a whim. Well, now you have Amethyst and I to make sure you don’t act like that again, understand?”  
  
Amethyst started nuzzling Henry’s other side to show that she would also be there to help him. This brought a smile to his face. He no longer had to fear being alone again.  
  
“Thank you, you guys,” he said softly, wiping the tears from his face, “I can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slap in the face and a warm hug can help if done right.


	5. Beach City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group finally reach their destination, but were still not prepared for what greeted them there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters seem to be getting shorter.

The journey to Beach City was by no means a simple one. Still, there was no issue of keeping Amethyst out of sight since there was no one to spot her in the travel. Jess was very helpful as she had collected some supplies over the course of her own trekking prior to their encounter. Though she may have been created as what she said ‘an accessory for the elites’ Henry couldn’t help but feel her potential was being wasted in that previous life of hers.  
  
It took them roughly seven months to finally reach Beach City. What they saw there did not surprise them in the least. The city itself was a mess. There were many houses destroyed or falling in ruin. In the distance, the group could see the boardwalk that had fallen in such a degree of disrepair as a testament to just how long this war had been going on.  
  
“Tell me, was there anything about there being some sort of Gem resistance or whatever in the first Gem War?” Henry asked Jess.  
  
“There were. In the past there was a Rose Quartz, her renegade Pearl, and a Fusion that were most prominent in the encounters. Rose Quartz’s army may have been small, but they were effective.”  
  
“Well, whatever they were, it seems that they might be gone now. Best we see if we can’t find anything useful down there since this could very well be a dead end.”  
  
They began walking into town. It seemed dead and abandoned. So much for finding help there it appeared. They inspected every structure that they could. The most they were able to salvage was a can of hash and a lighter. As they continued towards the boardwalk, Amethyst became alerted to something. They all immediately stood their guard, bracing for the worst. As quickly as the feeling came, they were surrounded by six people with various weapons. The ambushers’ weapons looked like some crude firearms that most likely would do more harm to them should they be used. Still, not wanting any trouble, Henry called out to their ambushers.  
  
“We don’t mean any harm. We are simply looking for supplies to salvage and any help we can receive. We do not mean to cause any trouble. These two,” Henry gesture towards Jess and Amethyst, “are with me and are of no threat to any of you.”  
  
“I’ve heard that before.”  
  
Both Jess and Henry turn towards the direction of the voice. A woman in her late forties stepped forward. She looked of Indian descent and has faced her share of fighting. Unlike the others she carried no firearm of any kind but rather a pink sword that looked massive in comparison to her.  
  
“At ease, people. If they try anything, I’ll handle it. Let’s see what they have to say first,” the woman said.  
  
Obviously, she was the one in authority over these people. Henry heard one refer to her as Commander Universe. Odd name for someone of Indian heritage, he thought. They informed her of their actions since the trio arrived in town. They have been keeping tabs on them the whole time. Henry began to kick himself a bit for not noticing sooner and putting his two companions in danger like that.  
  
“You, Pearl!” Universe called out, “Where is your charge and how many are there?”  
  
“I’m-I’m an ownerless Pearl who escaped to protect my friend,” Jess managed to say.  
  
Being cautious of the woman, Henry did his best to keep himself between her and this Universe lady until he was certain that they would be safe.  
  
“So you are not currently affiliated with Homeworld or the Diamond Authority in any way?” she questioned further.  
  
“No-no, I am not. How do you know of Homeworld and the Diamonds?” Jess inquired.  
  
“I am the one asking the questions here, not you,” she shot back, her words filled with venom.  
  
“Then let me ask instead,” Henry interjects, “How do you know about all this?”  
  
For a second, the woman’s intense gaze dropped as she finally noticed Henry’s presence there. But it was quickly restored. As uncomfortable as it made him feel, at least she was no longer using it on Jess.  
  
“I’ll ask again, who are you and how do you know of all this Homeworld stuff?” he reiterated.  
  
“My name is Connie Universe. It is my job to keep these people safe until my husband is able to return. I know of Homeworld because I was trained by the Crystal Gems,” Jess stiffened at this title.  
  
“Crystal Gems?” Henry ask, confused even further.  
  
“Take these gems into custody,” his statement seemingly ignored, “Until we know more, no one is to harm them, understood?”  
  
“Yes, ma’am,” came this motley crew of fighters reply.  
  
“You, with me,” she ordered at Henry.  
  
“I am not leaving my friends alone with your people. Not until I know they will not be harmed.”  
  
“You heard my orders to my men.”  
  
“And I know little about your men to begin with,” he shot back.  
  
She sighed, seeing that this is going to be like arguing with a wall.  
  
“Fine then. We’ll talk somewhere where you can see your ‘friends.’ Is that to your liking?”  
  
“Thank you, ma’am.”  
  
“That’s Commander, Commander Connie Universe.”


	6. Information and Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Commander Universe explains the situation and wants to know if it is in their best interests to trust these newcomers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the main characters' deaths come in.

“So tell me, who are these Crystal Gems and where are they now, exactly?” Henry asked Commander Universe.  
  
Her soldiers were keeping an eye on Jess and Amethyst outside. Henry was surprised that Amethyst had yet to do anything. Perhaps she understands the situation better than he gave her credit for and is simply sitting tight for now. Still, the sooner he could convince them to stop threatening the two, the better off they would all be. Universe sat against the wall, her arms crossed as Henry kept his eyes on the window.  
  
“The Crystal Gems were made of three Gems, one half gem half human hybrid who is my husband, and myself,” she began, “Garnet was the first to fall, Ruby shattered defending Sapphire and Sapphire, in shock of Ruby’s demise, was taken out shortly after. Amethyst was always the most easily riled up and without Garnet to keep her in check later fell herself. Pearl was the last to meet her end. She was shattered before my eyes while Steven shielded me,” her grip on her arm tightened as she recounted the event.  
  
“And this Steven?” Henry asked.  
  
“He was poofed and lost his form. We are keeping his gem safe until he can reform.”  
  
“We being you and your little band of merry men.”  
  
“We as in Peridot, Lapis, and myself. The other’s believe that he is off on the front lines helping the world army fight.”  
  
“Pardon?”  
  
“It’s my turn to question you,” she began, “How long have you known these gems you came into town with?”  
  
“Long enough to know they are harmless and that I trust them.”  
  
“Would you bet your life on that claim?” she challenged.  
  
Henry hesitated for a second. Unsure how to respond. He remembered what all had happened until now, how even after he shared his internal conflict with them and how they said they would always have his back and help him be a better person. Remembering that night dispersed any doubts that may have bloomed in his mind as he gave his answer.  
  
“I will bet my life on that promise.”  
  
Satisfied with this, Universe went to the doorway and told her subordinates to stand down and let the two be.  
  
“Before she fell, Pearl made up a record of all the bubbled gems in the Temple. Perhaps she felt that if something were to happen, they might be of some use to us. From what we’ve gathered, as long as at least one member of the Crystal Gems is still in one piece, the Temple interior will still exist,” the Commander explained.  
  
“And you’re telling me this why exactly?”  
  
“Because I want to test Peridot’s theory about opening the Temple door. And your Pearl might be the answer.”  
  
“Jess.”  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Her name is Jess and she is not my Pearl nor anyone’s. She is her own person, or rather her own Gem.”  
  
The Commander seemed taken aback by this statement. Then, slowly, her stern look turned into a smile.  
  
“Perhaps this will work after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess the "What if" scenario that I talked of in the beginning?


	7. The Doorway to the Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end to one thing but the start of another.

Jess was informed of the situation. Henry gave her the option to say no and run with Amethyst if she wanted, that he would delay these people from chasing them as long as he could. She said that she would at least try. If there was a chance for this war to end and for her and Amethyst to finally be free, she would take it.  
  
They were led to the other side of a mountain with what could only be assume what was once a lighthouse on the top. On the other side was a statue of a giant woman that was crumpling apart. Clasp between its hands was what was once a house, situated at the very bottom of the structure. The Commander led the way into this place. At the back was what could possibly be the Temple door on the other side of a dais that looked similar to others that had been seen in their travels. The door itself had a star on it and in each corner of the star were dots, one in each point. Sitting next to the door was a blue woman who jumped to her feet when she saw the renegades escort Jess and Henry inside.  
  
“Who are these people?” she asked Universe.  
  
“Just some people who might be able to help us, Lapis.”  
  
“And you think they can do what we can’t?”  
  
“In a way, yes. Where’s Peridot?”  
  
“Over here,” a nasally voice said behind them all.  
  
Henry began looking around, trying to find the source of the voice. The sound of a throat clearing startled him as he looked down in front of him.  
  
“Jesus! Where did this gremlin come from?” Henry exclaimed in surprise.  
  
The entire room roared with laughter. Even the blue lady called Lapis gave off a snorting laugh at his reaction.  
  
“Okay, I change my mind, I like these people,” she managed to finally say.  
  
“How dare you call me a gremlin, you clod,” Peridot said in a huff as she went off somewhere.  
  
“These two are Lapis Lazuli,” Universe motioned to the blue lady, “And Peridot,” she nodded her head towards the retreating little green lady who was grumbling about how this introduction brought to mind an episode from some long forgotten show.  
  
“Peridot is our very skilled engineer who made our weapons designed specifically to take down Gems. We don’t know what we would do without her here.”  
  
“Thank you, Connie,” Peridot said, her chest puffed out with a sense of pride.  
  
“Now then, time to get down to business,” Universe said, clearing her throat.  
  
She gestured towards the door.  
  
“Jess, I want you to concentrate and see if you can’t activate the door.”  
  
“I’ll-I’ll try, ma’am,” she stuttered out.  
  
Jess then closed her eyes and concentrated on the task at hand. Minutes passed and nothing happened. She began to grow concerned for the safety of Amethyst and Henry should it fail.  
  
“Don’t worry, Jess. If this has any chance to work at all, there is no other gem to accomplish it than you. If it doesn’t then so be it. No harm done,” Henry reassured her.  
  
Nodding in understanding, she tries again with a bit more confidence. Gradually, her gem on her shoulder began to glow. One of the dots on the star began to glow as well in response. She kept pushing until the door finally opened to reveal a room of pools and fountains. The group began to cheer in triumph.  
  
“You did it, Jess! You got it open!” Henry shouted, congratulating her.  
  
“Alright, people, let’s move. We need to get to the bubble room and find Bismuth. Understand?”  
  
“Got it, ma’am,” came the scattered responses from the band.  
  
“And Ronaldo, if I find that you have pocketed anything, so help me I’ll use you for sparring training later!” she called out after them.  
  
Before going in after them herself, Commander Connie Universe stopped to speak to Jess.  
  
“Thank you for doing this for us. You had no reason to and even less of one since we pretty much threatened both you and your friend.”  
  
She smiled in response, “I’m just glad to help redeem myself. And for what it is worth, I’m sure your Pearl would be proud to see how you have kept fighting like you are.”  
  
Connie began to tear up a little at this comment. She did her best to hide it by making her way into the Temple but there was no denying that Jess’s statement meant the world to her. Wiping away the tear that began to form in the corner of her eye, she braced herself and prepared for what lay beyond that door. At that moment, it was not only a door leading to the interior of the Temple, but the doorway to a brighter future for earth. With her new comrades by her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This actually seems like a rushed ending now that I think about it.

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a "what if" scenario that I was discussing with a friend of mine a while back and they suggested I write a fic about it. I warned them that this will be a dark one but they still pushed me to do it. I am kind of proud how it turned out. And I would like to thank spatialheather for advising me to make this a chapter work.


End file.
